Mindful Muslim Reader Review

Peace Like A River book review

Peace Like a River

By Leif Enger
Gold star
Age:
  • Audiobooks
  • Virtue
    VIRTUE
    Is this the way I want my child to think and act?
    Ratings are based on how much a book extols Islamic morality and espouses classical ideals.
    ★★★★★
  • Language
    LANGUAGE
    Is this the way I want my child to speak?
    Ratings are based on a book's vocabulary, cadence, and overall eloquence suited to age level.
    ★★★★★
  • Story
    STORY
    Does this story resonate with my child?
    Ratings are based on the integrity of plot structure, the depth of characters, the palpability of the book's conflict and resolution, and the lure of its setting.
    ★★★★★
  • Beauty
    BEAUTY
    Does this book develop my child's ability to recognize beauty?
    Ratings are based on aesthetics, linguistic beauty, poignancy, and how well a book embodies ihsan—harmonizing excellence.
    ★★★★☆

Values

  • Integrity
  • Manhood
Heart

Struggles

  • Dishonesty
  • Family Ties
Why Should
Why Should My Child Read This Book?

This author’s debut book earns our Gold Star for the deep and profound relationship with God that is at the center of this heartwarming tale. Through immense trials with his family, the father is kept grounded through his faith and his consistent habit of prayer. The book weaves in many virtues as an anecdote to the excess and vice of modern society. The children learn from their father how to act with adab (appropriate respect and comportment) toward guests and figures of authority alike. The children learn that pride and arrogance can lead to man’s downfall from which there may not be a return. They also learn how fickle the public can be when it comes to “fame.” They ultimately understand from their father that every person, even loved ones, must face the consequences of their actions.

Note: Although this book has many yellow flags, we believe it’s still a book worth reading. The characters embody many virtues, learn from their mistakes, and vices are clearly portrayed as wrong.

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What is this book
What’s This Book About?
Raised on tales of cowboys and pirates, eleven-year-old Reuben Land has little doubt that miracles happen all around us, and that it’s up to us to “make of it what we will.” Reuben was born with no air in his lungs, and it was only when his father, Jeremiah, picked him up and commanded him to breathe that his lungs filled. Reuben struggles with debilitating asthma from then on, making him a boy who knows firsthand that life is a gift, and also one who suspects that his father is touched by God and can overturn the laws of nature. The quiet Midwestern life of the Lands is upended when Davy, the oldest son, kills two marauders who have come to harm the family. Unlike his father, he is not content to leave all matters of justice in God’s hands. The morning of his sentencing, Davy—a hero to some, a cold-blooded murderer to others—escapes from his cell, and the Lands set out in search of him. Their journey is touched by serendipity and the kindness of strangers. Meanwhile, a federal agent is trailing the Lands, convinced they know of Davy’s whereabouts. With Jeremiah at the helm, the family covers territory far more extraordinary than even the Badlands where they search for Davy from their Airstream trailer.
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Anything I need to be aware of?

VIEW FLAGS
Genres:
Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
Published: 2001
Page Count: 311
ISBN13: 9780871137951
*This review applies only to ISBN number noted above.
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WE READ
COVER TO COVER
so you don't have to.
WE READ COVER TO COVER so you don't have to.

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